Remax Ocean Pointe Chemainus

10/22/2019

Michael Pickard is one of our longest serving Chemainus REMAX AGENTS -15 years of experience working to serve his individual Clients with outstanding results REMAX CHEMAINUS has served the community and area since 1993 and Michael has been here 1/2 that time and remains an active fundraiser for many community events which have benefited from his generous donation of time as well as his always cheerful personality

- 15 years with REMAX CHEMAINUS and 50 years a resident come 2020 - if your thinking of Buying or Selling give Chemainus REMAX a Call 250-246-3700 or call Michael Pickard Direct at 250-246-7676

The Coffee is always on - pop in and See what REMAX can do for you-

09/12/2019

What Michael Was up to this weekend... Please support this cause

09/03/2019

A list of fall safety tips I collected - be safe!

FALL SAFETY TIPS - MICHAEL PICKARD

Alas the Labour day weekend is over and today the Valleys children went back to school. I wager for many -myself included – that there are some mixed emotions as we look at the end of Summer 2019 – Soon we will see the magnificent colours of our Fall that we are blessed to witness as citizens of the Cowichan Valley - Another year’s lush foliage once again returns to the earth and with it comes cooler temperature. With these thoughts in mind I have taken a moment to note some great Safety Tips for you and your family to review – I Hope you find some of this helpful.

It is wise to check around your furnace before turning on the heat for the first time – make sure there is nothing flammable nearby - have the furnace or Woodstove inspected/ serviced - change filters - have chimney cleaned. Do this at this time a year rather then a breakdown in your system during a mid winter cold snap. If you have baseboard heaters - make sure nothing is on top of or under - give a quick vacuum to remove any dust or obstructions. I have seen some melted kids toys, crayons etc cause floor and wall damage and could spark a fire.

Dress your kids in lighter coloured clothing or reflective vests jackets to help drivers see them on their way home from School or Activities – And as Drivers make sure to follow School Zone speeds Change batteries at Fall Back

Smoke alarm or Carbon Monoxide alarm batteries should be changed twice a year – I truly cannot tell you how many homes I have shown that are chirping for battery change or the batteries are dead or the systems are disconnected. These are inexpensive accessories that save lives. Also it is important to implement and practice your family fire escape plan – helpful to write a description of it an have on the back of bedroom doors- this covers guests in case of emergency. Don’t forget about the pets too. Have a plan of action for them as well. Study show that frightened kids may be tempted to hide under beds or in a closet unless you teach them exactly how to escape.

If you are using a space heater remember to be a meter or three feet from the heat – remember to follow instructions in manual and to unplug when not using or leaving your home.

Many of us got caught in the Storm of December 2018 – Might be good to prepare a Storm Supply kit with items you could use in an emergency so that you could go a few days without necessities emergency contacts– candles – food- reading materials- batteries – water – a few games – what ever you think that could be helpful to you getting through a winter emergency.

Check you outdoor lighting replace broken bulbs – add more lighting if you have some darker spaces this helps to reduce risk of falling and it discourages intruders. – I keep my key fob in the bedroom to activate car alarm in case of emergency as well.

The Gutters of your home should be cleaned a few times during the fall season. MAKE SURE that when using a ladder 1) it is the correct ladder for the job and 2) that you are using the ladder properly. Numbers are astronomical when it comes to ladder related injuries. You can install gutter guards to help with less debris or hire a professional if the situation is dangerous.

Get you car ready for winter by stocking the trunk with a bag of blankets – gloves- salt or kitty litter for traction a scraper and small shovel - maybe add some extra windshield fluid - have the car serviced. keep a little box of food with me too- take a moment to walk around your car and make sure all headlights – taillights and signals are working. You can turn this into an activity with your kids as its valuable for them to see the importance of vehicle safety and participating in it.

Exercise caution when using candles. They do give a room that warm glow but they also catch fires. According to National Candle Association ( yes there is one) - almost 10k home fires start with improper candle use. NEVER leave candles burning if you go out or go to sleep – keep your candles away from pets and kids.

Check your fire extinguishers or contact a company to have them serviced.

Please feel free to add to this list or share it with friends. It just takes a few moments to read and a modest budget to satisfy- BE SAFE

Best Regards

MICHAEL PICKARD
REMAX OCEAN POINTE CHEMAINUS
250-246-7676 PERSONAL
250-246-3700 OFFICE